Explore every episode of the podcast The Sensational Kids Show
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allostasis and Stress | 14 Dec 2023 | 00:15:01 | |
As we head into the holidays Aniesa wanted to explore stress and what is referred to as allostasis. She explores the concept of the allostatic load and the impact this has on the body in both the short term and long term. Aniesa also discusses the role things like sleep and trauma can play in how we manage and cope with stress. Importantly, Aniesa talks about how we can all learn to manage our stress levels and take ownership of minimising the impact as much as possible. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS "It’s self-regulating so we’re trying to keep this constant state while we are under stress” “This constant continued strain is really going to compromise your immune function” “That’s going to affect your overall lifespan, your cognitive function and your well-being” “There’s a real strong association between your allostatic load and your social demographic characteristics” “We need to be proactive in managing our stress, we need to stay informed”
Aniesa completed her degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Stellenbosch, in South Africa. She has since been focusing on pediatrics and sensory processing and integration. She has worked across a range of pediatric fields and has extensive experience in autism, specific learning difficulties, as well as anxiety and emotional regulation. Aniesa has one teenage son with autism, and one with sensory difficulties. She herself was diagnosed at a late age as having ADHD and has found that understanding her neurodivergence has led to a greater connection with children and their parents. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Camouflaging: Why Neurodivergents Mask, Compensate and Assimilate | 07 Dec 2023 | 00:18:52 | |
Aniesa explores the reasons behind camouflaging, which has three categories: compensation, masking and assimilation. Aniesa talks about what these can look like, why so many neurodivergent people feel the need to camouflage and talks about how we can demystify and educate everyone on camouflaging. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS "We’re really talking about changing our natural personalities so that we can fit” “I like the idea of camouflaging as a word as it’s a really strong tactic” “The consequences of camouflaging are huge, they are so detrimental” “When you’re compensating you’re trying to keep up with others socially but when your masking you’re hiding key aspects of yourself, just so you can fit in” “We all mask every single day”
Aniesa completed her degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Stellenbosch, in South Africa. She has since been focusing on pediatrics and sensory processing and integration. She has worked across a range of pediatric fields and has extensive experience in autism, specific learning difficulties, as well as anxiety and emotional regulation. Aniesa has one teenage son with autism, and one with sensory difficulties. She herself was diagnosed at a late age as having ADHD and has found that understanding her neurodivergence has led to a greater connection with children and their parents. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Lesser Known Strengths about Neurodivergent People with Archie Gouldsborough | 14 Sep 2023 | 00:30:29 | |
Dive into the lesser-known strengths of neurodivergence as autism mentor Archie joins Aniesa once again and shares uplifting insights on the talents and abilities people overlook in neurodivergent individuals. Learn how intense focus, honesty, pattern recognition, creativity, and acceptance can all be traits of neurodivergence. Explore how rigid thinking can also lead to flexibility, how potential weaknesses can become strengths given the right environment, and more. Their thoughtful discussion will change your perspective on the diversity of neurodivergent minds. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS
Aniesa completed her degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Stellenbosch, in South Africa. She has since been focusing on pediatrics and sensory processing and integration. She has worked across a range of pediatric fields and has extensive experience in autism, specific learning difficulties, as well as anxiety and emotional regulation. Aniesa has one teenage son with autism, and one with sensory difficulties. She herself was diagnosed at a late age as having ADHD and has found that understanding her neurodivergence has led to a greater connection with children and their parents. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Mentoring With Archie Gouldsborough | 06 Sep 2023 | 00:22:40 | |
Join Aniesa as she speaks to Archie Gouldsborough, a mentor who has ADHD and is awaiting and ASD diagnosis. They discuss what mentoring is, how Archie discovered it and the many benefits it can have. Archie also shares his own personal struggles and talks about why he thinks having a neurodivergent brain makes you empathetic and compassionate in a unique and powerful way. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS "When I was a bit younger I was a therapist friend for some people”
Aniesa completed her degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Stellenbosch, in South Africa. She has since been focusing on pediatrics and sensory processing and integration. She has worked across a range of pediatric fields and has extensive experience in autism, specific learning difficulties, as well as anxiety and emotional regulation. Aniesa has one teenage son with autism, and one with sensory difficulties. She herself was diagnosed at a late age as having ADHD and has found that understanding her neurodivergence has led to a greater connection with children and their parents. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Myths about Autism and Neurodivergence with Neurodivergent Mentor Archie | 31 Aug 2023 | 00:29:41 | |
Aniesa is joined by mentor Archie in this episode to debunk many of the myths and misconceptions surrounding autism. They talk about the most common ones they have heard and discuss what might be the reasons behind them. COMMON MYTHS AND MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT AUTISM
BEST MOMENTS “It’s a representation of the diagnostic criteria, not a representation of actual autism” “When it comes to the idea of curing autism it kind of perpetuates the medical model of disability” “Autism is a way of being, a way of seeing the world” “We need to now be looking at the 50/60/70 year old autistic people” “It’s amazing how that one person can just have such a huge impact” “That can be a boundary for getting diagnosed, not being able to express normative emotions” CONTACT METHOD
Aniesa completed her degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Stellenbosch, in South Africa. She has since been focusing on pediatrics and sensory processing and integration. She has worked across a range of pediatric fields and has extensive experience in autism, specific learning difficulties, as well as anxiety and emotional regulation. Aniesa has one teenage son with autism, and one with sensory difficulties. She herself was diagnosed at a late age as having ADHD and has found that understanding her neurodivergence has led to a greater connection with children and their parents. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Chat with Charlotte, Mum of Two Neurodivergent Teens | 10 Aug 2023 | 00:17:28 | |
Aniesa met Charlotte when she brought her daughter to see her. Charlotte joins the podcast to talk about being a parent of neurodivergent children, including when she realised they had additional needs, the differences between her two children and their difficulties as well as how she and her family manage each day with two neurodivergent children. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS “I didn’t even know what a SENCO was” “You have to do a lot of advocating for her” “They don't cause me stress, what causes me stress is the limitless ignorance out there and judgement” “I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I wasn’t doing everything that I absolutely could” “Trust that you know your child better than anybody else” “I want them to be capable and understand themselves” CONTACT METHOD
Aniesa completed her degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Stellenbosch, in South Africa. She has since been focusing on pediatrics and sensory processing and integration. She has worked across a range of pediatric fields and has extensive experience in autism, specific learning difficulties, as well as anxiety and emotional regulation. Aniesa has one teenage son with autism, and one with sensory difficulties. She herself was diagnosed at a late age as having ADHD and has found that understanding her neurodivergence has led to a greater connection with children and their parents. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| The Summer Transition Period: How to Deal with Anxiety in Times of Change | 02 Aug 2023 | 00:04:54 | |
Aniesa wants to remind everyone that the summer holidays are a big transition point for so many of us and we need to recognise that. From some children starting reception to others moving up to secondary school or even to university, there is a lot of change and we need to support our children with this where we can. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS “There are a lot of changes going on” “With change comes anxiety, we need to be kind to ourselves” “It’s really important that they are able to express what they’re feeling, or find a way to express what they’re feeling” “Have them know that you are there for them and you are offering reassurance, offering no judgement, no pressure just understanding” CONTACT METHOD
Aniesa completed her degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Stellenbosch, in South Africa. She has since been focusing on pediatrics and sensory processing and integration. She has worked across a range of pediatric fields and has extensive experience in autism, specific learning difficulties, as well as anxiety and emotional regulation. Aniesa has one teenage son with autism, and one with sensory difficulties. She herself was diagnosed at a late age as having ADHD and has found that understanding her neurodivergence has led to a greater connection with children and their parents. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Tips For Surviving The Summer Break | 26 Jul 2023 | 00:10:03 | |
Join Aniesa as she shares some of her top tips for ‘surviving the summer holidays with neurodivergent children including tips to keep them regulated and how to avoid added stress and difficulties. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS “Think of things like that are going to just make it easy for you” “If you are going to go on holiday think about what you are going to get out of it” “Remember your kids are going to need a lot of time after that holiday to decompress and so are you” “Try and keep your boundaries in place, if you have rules keep them in place too” CONTACT METHOD
Aniesa completed her degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Stellenbosch, in South Africa. She has since been focusing on paediatrics and sensory processing and integration. She has worked across a range of pediatric fields and has extensive experience in autism, specific learning difficulties, as well as anxiety and emotional regulation. Aniesa has one teenage son with autism and one with sensory difficulties. She herself was diagnosed at a late age as having ADHD and has found that understanding her neurodivergence has led to a greater connection with children and their parents. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Do You Control Your Emotions? | 20 Jul 2023 | 00:12:32 | |
In this episode Aniesa explores the concept of whether our feelings, emotions and reactions are just our own to control or whether other people and external factors influence them. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS “We absolutely can make other people feel emotions” “We can experience emotions in response to other peoples actions or words” “Two people can have completely different responses to the same situation” “Our external influences will contribute to our mental state” CONTACT METHOD
Aniesa completed her degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Stellenbosch, in South Africa. She has since been focusing on pediatrics and sensory processing and integration. She has worked across a range of pediatric fields and has extensive experience in autism, specific learning difficulties, as well as anxiety and emotional regulation. Aniesa has one teenage son with autism, and one with sensory difficulties. She herself was diagnosed at a late age as having ADHD and has found that understanding her neurodivergence has led to a greater connection with children and their parents. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| The Signs My Child Had ADHD with Mum Elmien | 12 Jul 2023 | 00:31:40 | |
Aniesa is joined by Elmien a therapist with a daughter who has ADHD. She talks to Aniesa about her and her daughter's journey to getting diagnosed including her own realisation that there might be something else happening when her daughter was missing milestones and acting out. Elmien also talks about the uniqueness of having a child with additional needs and how you can find the special moments in your journey with your child, regardless of the difficulties and struggles they may face. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS “She was the most difficult little girl, the year when she was 4 was really hard on me and her” “Friends and family were a problem for me because they were judgemental” “Sorry about that, but she’s different” “I want my child to be happy” “Things are never going to be what you planned them to be but it’s going to be a great journey” CONTACT METHOD
Aniesa completed her degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Stellenbosch, in South Africa. She has since been focusing on pediatrics and sensory processing and integration. She has worked across a range of pediatric fields and has extensive experience in autism, specific learning difficulties, as well as anxiety and emotional regulation. Aniesa has one teenage son with autism and one with sensory difficulties. She herself was diagnosed at a late age as having ADHD and has found that understanding her neurodivergence has led to a greater connection with children and their parents. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Parenting a Neurodivergent Child - Chat with Mum Stacey | 05 Jul 2023 | 00:22:13 | |
Aniesa is joined by Stacey a mother of two, to talk about life as a parent of a child with additional needs. Stacey talks about her journey to finding out her eldest, Viv had autism, the many challenges they face and what her every day looks like. She also talks about the things she finds helps her as a mum with a neurodivergent child and advice she would give to any other parent who is dealing with the same challenges. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS “Her journey has been interesting and not easy” “Parents of a neurotypical child take that for granted, just being able to have a conversation with their child” “That seemingly innocuous event to us can be a problem” “You try your best to make them happy and hope they will be in the future” “Try and understand things from an autistic persons perspective” CONTACT METHOD
Aniesa completed her degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Stellenbosch, in South Africa. She has since been focusing on pediatrics and sensory processing and integration. She has worked across a range of pediatric fields and has extensive experience in autism, specific learning difficulties, as well as anxiety and emotional regulation.
Aniesa has one teenage son with autism, and one with sensory difficulties. She herself was diagnosed at a late age as having ADHD and has found that understanding her neurodivergence has led to a greater connection with children and their parents. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Gardening With Kids | 29 Jun 2023 | 00:08:34 | |
When we garden with kids it’s an incredible way to teach them about nature and responsibility. Aniesa shares in this episode the many benefits of gardening with our children and why it is also something she enjoys too. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS “I think gardening should always be fun” “It’s very calming for me and I feel it reduced my stress levels” CONTACT METHOD
Aniesa completed her degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Stellenbosch, in South Africa. She has since been focusing on pediatrics and sensory processing and integration. She has worked across a range of pediatric fields and has extensive experience in autism, specific learning difficulties, as well as anxiety and emotional regulation.
Aniesa has one teenage son with autism, and one with sensory difficulties. She herself was diagnosed at a late age as having ADHD and has found that understanding her neurodivergence has led to a greater connection with children and their parents. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| The 8th Sense: Interoception with Archie | 30 Nov 2023 | 00:33:41 | |
Aniesa is joined by Archie in this episode to talk about what is frequently called the 8th sense, interoception. Interoception is associated with everything from pain sensitivity to decision making and Aniesa and Archie discuss why struggles with its regulation are associated with neurodivergence and the common challenges it often presents. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS "Interoception is strongly related to our emotional state” “Until your interoception is fully developed you’re going to find it really difficult to manage your emotions and social interactions” “He would try to regulate the kids when he wasn’t regulated” “What is it that I am feeling, why am I feeling that way?” “As a neurodivergent person, you experience trauma and that is going to lower or stop your interoceptive awareness” “People with interoceptive issues are likely to have a higher baseline of anxiety”
Aniesa completed her degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Stellenbosch, in South Africa. She has since been focusing on pediatrics and sensory processing and integration. She has worked across a range of pediatric fields and has extensive experience in autism, specific learning difficulties, as well as anxiety and emotional regulation. Aniesa has one teenage son with autism, and one with sensory difficulties. She herself was diagnosed at a late age as having ADHD and has found that understanding her neurodivergence has led to a greater connection with children and their parents. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Stop Telling Kids to Use Their Words | 21 Jun 2023 | 00:07:35 | |
While on holiday, Aniesa kept hearing the same phrase over and over again, parents telling their children to ‘use their words’. In this episode, Aneisa talks about why this isn’t a fair expectation of young children and actually why it could do more harm than good as a parenting technique and what to do instead. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS “We need to help them to learn how to solve problems, we need to help them how to become more regulated” “What we need to do instead of saying the words is model the words” “Before we react, take a deep breath, a moment and carry on” CONTACT METHOD
Aniesa completed her degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Stellenbosch, in South Africa. She has since been focusing on pediatrics and sensory processing and integration. She has worked across a range of pediatric fields and has extensive experience in autism, specific learning difficulties, as well as anxiety and emotional regulation.
Aniesa has one teenage son with autism, and one with sensory difficulties. She herself was diagnosed at a late age as having ADHD and has found that understanding her neurodivergence has led to a greater connection with children and their parents. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Coping with the Heat | 14 Jun 2023 | 00:07:26 | |
In this quick and informative episode, Aniesa shares a few tips to make things easier for you and your family in the hot weather! KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS “Just let them be them” “Give them the control” “Think about when you are hot and tired, it’s very hard to concentrate so bear that in mind for your kids” CONTACT METHOD
Aniesa completed her degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Stellenbosch, in South Africa. She has since been focusing on pediatrics and sensory processing and integration. She has worked across a range of pediatric fields and has extensive experience in autism, specific learning difficulties, as well as anxiety and emotional regulation.
Aniesa has one teenage son with autism, and one with sensory difficulties. She herself was diagnosed at a late age as having ADHD and has found that understanding her neurodivergence has led to a greater connection with children and their parents. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| How to Help Children Through Grief And Loss | 07 Jun 2023 | 00:15:18 | |
In this episode, Aniesa focuses on how we can talk to children about loss and grief as well as the ways we can help them come to terms with death and how to deal with the many emotions and challenges it presents. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS “Provide reassurance and let them know any feelings they have, any reaction they might have are completely valid” “We need to avoid dismissing or minimising emotions” “Think of other creative ways to tell stories” CONTACT METHOD
Aniesa completed her degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Stellenbosch, in South Africa. She has since been focusing on pediatrics and sensory processing and integration. She has worked across a range of pediatric fields and has extensive experience in autism, specific learning difficulties, as well as anxiety and emotional regulation.
Aniesa has one teenage son with autism, and one with sensory difficulties. She herself was diagnosed at a late age as having ADHD and has found that understanding her neurodivergence has led to a greater connection with children and their parents. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| My Optimal Engagement Band | 31 May 2023 | 00:25:20 | |
In this episode, Aniesa discusses the concept of optimal sensory engagement thresholds/bands. Aniesa explains what this means in real terms, giving clear examples and talks about what you can do to self-regulate and self-manage, including utilising external factors in your environment to help yourself in times of high stress and anxiety. Aniesa also talks about the role of masking, difficulty in making decisions and other challenges neurodiverse people may come across when outside of their optimal engagement band. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS “A lot of research has been looked at between our sensation and our arousal regulation” “That calm alert state, that’s where we have our optimal functioning” “I just wanted something to get my arousal levels down” “Look in the environment and find what we call co-regulation, what can we do in the environment to help us regulate” “This is when the energy levels, or the effort that is required is greater than that individual's ability” CONTACT METHOD
Aniesa completed her degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Stellenbosch, in South Africa. She has since been focusing on pediatrics and sensory processing and integration. She has worked across a range of pediatric fields and has extensive experience in autism, specific learning difficulties, as well as anxiety and emotional regulation.
Aniesa has one teenage son with autism, and one with sensory difficulties. She herself was diagnosed at a late age as having ADHD and has found that understanding her neurodivergence has led to a greater connection with children and their parents. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| My Thoughts on the BBC ADHD Documentary and Why We Must Get Better at Diagnosing and Supporting ADHD | 24 May 2023 | 00:19:32 | |
In this episode, Aniesa gives her thoughts on the recent BBC Panorama documentary on private ADHD clinics. Aniesa also talks about the topic of diagnosis, the crisis in the system and why she thinks we are seeing such an increase in people seeking diagnosis for ADHD. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS “If someone is prepared to spend money that means they usually have a pretty good idea that they have ADHD and they just want that confirmed and they want better support” “I didn’t come to that decision very lightly, to go for an assessment” “It's one of those conditions where there are other co-occurring conditions” “We’re leaving a huge number of people unsupported” “We really need to think about what message we are putting across” “We have to get better at diagnosing, we have to get better at supporting” CONTACT METHOD
Aniesa completed her degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Stellenbosch, in South Africa. She has since been focusing on pediatrics and sensory processing and integration. She has worked across a range of pediatric fields and has extensive experience in autism, specific learning difficulties, as well as anxiety and emotional regulation.
Aniesa has one teenage son with autism, and one with sensory difficulties. She herself was diagnosed at a late age as having ADHD and has found that understanding her neurodivergence has led to a greater connection with children and their parents. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Exams Are Upon Us | 17 May 2023 | 00:05:39 | |
Exams are something that can be a real challenge for neurodiverse individuals, particularly those with ADHD. In this episode, Aniesa talks about this topic and the role exams currently play in schooling, education and our children's lives. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS “Schools are not preparing young people enough” “I feel very strongly that we should get rid of all exams” “Why are we testing knowledge and who is it for?” CONTACT METHOD
Aniesa completed her degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Stellenbosch, in South Africa. She has since been focusing on pediatrics and sensory processing and integration. She has worked across a range of pediatric fields and has extensive experience in autism, specific learning difficulties, as well as anxiety and emotional regulation.
Aniesa has one teenage son with autism, and one with sensory difficulties. She herself was diagnosed at a late age as having ADHD and has found that understanding her neurodivergence has led to a greater connection with children and their parents. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| What is a SENCO? Speaking with Kerry a Preschool SENCO | 10 May 2023 | 00:21:08 | |
Kerry is a Senco at a preschool and joins Aniesa in this episode to give some insight into her role including why relationships with the child and families are so important and the tremendous value in getting support in at the early years stage for children with special educational needs. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS “Putting that intervention in as early as possible provides the best outcome for the children” “At the end of the day, it’s their child and you have to remember that” “I always sing what I want to say to them” CONTACT METHOD
Aniesa completed her degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Stellenbosch, in South Africa. She has since been focusing on pediatrics and sensory processing and integration. She has worked across a range of pediatric fields and has extensive experience in autism, specific learning difficulties, as well as anxiety and emotional regulation.
Aniesa has one teenage son with autism, and one with sensory difficulties. She herself was diagnosed at a late age as having ADHD and has found that understanding her neurodivergence has led to a greater connection with children and their parents. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Why Validating Our Children Matters | 03 May 2023 | 00:08:01 | |
A few difficult weeks including a bereavement has meant that Aniesa has been reflecting on the relationships in her life, recognising the people that validate her emotions and feelings and that we all need to be doing this for young people in our care too. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS “You could see that she felt seen and she felt validated and that is something we need to do more of” “We might not see or feel that is a struggle but in their minds, it is a huge struggle and we need to validate this” “Give them the support they need to make them feel seen, to make them feel heard” CONTACT METHOD
Aniesa completed her degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Stellenbosch, in South Africa. She has since been focusing on pediatrics and sensory processing and integration. She has worked across a range of pediatric fields and has extensive experience in autism, specific learning difficulties, as well as anxiety and emotional regulation.
Aniesa has one teenage son with autism, and one with sensory difficulties. She herself was diagnosed at a late age as having ADHD and has found that understanding her neurodivergence has led to a greater connection with children and their parents. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Fitting In | 26 Apr 2023 | 00:08:13 | |
In this episode, Aniesa wants to talk about the lengths we all go to in order to fit in. Everyone, regardless of whether they are neurodiverse or neurotypical mask to some extent in order to fit in and Aniesa talks about why she thinks this may be. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS “Why are we doing all of these things to fit in and is it always bad?” “Try and do your own thing” CONTACT METHOD
Aniesa completed her degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Stellenbosch, in South Africa. She has since been focusing on pediatrics and sensory processing and integration. She has worked across a range of pediatric fields and has extensive experience in autism, specific learning difficulties, as well as anxiety and emotional regulation.
Aniesa has one teenage son with autism, and one with sensory difficulties. She herself was diagnosed at a late age as having ADHD and has found that understanding her neurodivergence has led to a greater connection with children and their parents. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Becoming an Autism Mum - Interview with Chantal, Mum to Four Neurodiverse Kids | 13 Apr 2023 | 00:49:56 | |
Chantal is a mum of four children, all of whom are neurodiverse. Chantal joins Aniesa to talk about life with multiple children with additional needs, including seeking a diagnosis, coping with the mental health implications and how to advocate for your neurodiverse child, especially when you aren’t believed by professionals. Chantal also opens up about receiving her own diagnosis and the impact this has had not only on her but her children's lives too. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS “He was just very different to what you would expect a child of that age to be” “All my kids, were so different as babies” “Teachers aren’t given the support and education they need” “They don’t know you come home and have a breakdown every day, they have no idea what people go through when your mask comes off” “He’s taught himself to be normal, to be neurotypical, because he’s never had the support” CONTACT METHOD
Aniesa completed her degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Stellenbosch, in South Africa. She has since been focusing on pediatrics and sensory processing and integration. She has worked across a range of pediatric fields and has extensive experience in autism, specific learning difficulties, as well as anxiety and emotional regulation.
Aniesa has one teenage son with autism, and one with sensory difficulties. She herself was diagnosed at a late age as having ADHD and has found that understanding her neurodivergence has led to a greater connection with children and their parents. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Sensory Processing Intro with Archie | 23 Nov 2023 | 00:51:46 | |
Aniesa interviews Archie about sensory processing and how it impacts kids and people with neurodiverse conditions. They explore the different senses like touch, movement, and sound, and how over or under-responsiveness to stimuli can affect learning, behaviour, and emotional regulation. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS "I will often just sing what I’m doing, or I’ll just make up songs and sing all the time." "Your reactivity can vary...what works today might not work tomorrow." "You learn when you are happy and relaxed and regulated." "Sitting still is for me, personally, cognitively, a very hard thing." "Proprioception is your like your player of the match." "They have no restrictions in that 40 to 60 minutes of a lesson. And yet we're saying to the learners, sit still for an hour." "I skirt the edge of professionalism."
Aniesa completed her degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Stellenbosch, in South Africa. She has since been focusing on pediatrics and sensory processing and integration. She has worked across a range of pediatric fields and has extensive experience in autism, specific learning difficulties, as well as anxiety and emotional regulation. Aniesa has one teenage son with autism, and one with sensory difficulties. She herself was diagnosed at a late age as having ADHD and has found that understanding her neurodivergence has led to a greater connection with children and their parents. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| My Kids Are Annoying | 05 Apr 2023 | 00:06:24 | |
It can be a challenge being on holiday with our children and in this episode, Aniesa reminisces about some of the frustrating as well as funny things her children have complained about and how sometimes, kids are annoying! KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS ‘Sometimes they just have an innate need to complain” “For anyone who is struggling with the Easter holidays this week, I am absolutely there with you” CONTACT METHOD
Aniesa completed her degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Stellenbosch, in South Africa. She has since been focusing on pediatrics and sensory processing and integration. She has worked across a range of pediatric fields and has extensive experience in autism, specific learning difficulties, as well as anxiety and emotional regulation.
Aniesa has one teenage son with autism, and one with sensory difficulties. She herself was diagnosed at a late age as having ADHD and has found that understanding her neurodivergence has led to a greater connection with children and their parents. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| What is Choice Overload and How Can You Prevent it? | 29 Mar 2023 | 00:14:18 | |
Decision-making isn’t always easy, particularly when we are presented with too many choices. It can lead to stress, exhaustion and even depression. In this episode, Aniesa talks about the impact of having choice overload and what we can do to either prevent it from happening or to minimise its effects. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS ‘It actually harms our wellbeing and can lead to depression and anxiety’ ‘When we are less satisfied with our lives we become less happy and less optimistic when we try and make too many decisions’ ‘We need to think about what we can cut out that isn’t important’ ‘Delegate, give others the power to make decisions’ ‘Try and set daily routines, put things on autopilot’ CONTACT METHOD
Aniesa completed her degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Stellenbosch, in South Africa. She has since been focusing on pediatrics and sensory processing and integration. She has worked across a range of pediatric fields and has extensive experience in autism, specific learning difficulties, as well as anxiety and emotional regulation.
Aniesa has one teenage son with autism, and one with sensory difficulties. She herself was diagnosed at a late age as having ADHD and has found that understanding her neurodivergence has led to a greater connection with children and their parents. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Biodanza With Aniesa Ally | 23 Mar 2023 | 00:17:06 | |
This is an interview episode with Aniesa Ally, whom Aniesa has known her entire life! Aniesa talks to Aniesa all about Biodanza, what it is and why she has such a passion for it. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS ‘It’s reconnecting you to your humanity and your ability to love’ ‘A circle is a representation of life in general’ ‘Everyone needs to dance!’ CONTACT METHOD
Aniesa completed her degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Stellenbosch, in South Africa. She has since been focusing on pediatrics and sensory processing and integration. She has worked across a range of pediatric fields and has extensive experience in autism, specific learning difficulties, as well as anxiety and emotional regulation.
Aniesa has one teenage son with autism, and one with sensory difficulties. She herself was diagnosed at a late age as having ADHD and has found that understanding her neurodivergence has led to a greater connection with children and their parents. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Losing with Grace | 16 Mar 2023 | 00:10:12 | |
In this episode, Aniesa wants to talk about how we can teach children to lose and how to teach them to do that in the right way, exploring the best techniques and methods to help them build resilience and skills for the future. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS ‘I’m not always happy when other people win and I don’t’ ‘We can talk about what we can learn from making those mistakes, losing is an opportunity to learn’ CONTACT METHOD
Aniesa completed her degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Stellenbosch, in South Africa. She has since been focusing on pediatrics and sensory processing and integration. She has worked across a range of pediatric fields and has extensive experience in autism, specific learning difficulties, as well as anxiety and emotional regulation. Aniesa has one teenage son with autism, and one with sensory difficulties. She herself was diagnosed at a late age as having ADHD and has found that understanding her neurodivergence has led to a greater connection with children and their parents. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Trust | 09 Mar 2023 | 00:15:03 | |
In this week's episode, Aniesa talks about trust. Why whether you have or don't have trust has such a big impact on how happy and content with life you are. That is why it is important that you talk to kids about trust, define it, and help them to learn to trust others and be trustworthy themselves. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS ‘It can take years to build up and it can take moments to shatter someone's trust.’ ‘That child is going to learn that my Mom is listening to me and it's important for me to speak up and it's important for me to speak up.’ ‘It's really important that we keep our promises.’ ‘Recognise that having those routines and that consistency, we can reduce conflict’ CONTACT METHOD ABOUT THE HOST Aniesa completed her degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Stellenbosch, in South Africa. She has since been focusing on pediatrics and sensory processing and integration. She has worked across a range of pediatric fields and has extensive experience in autism, specific learning difficulties, as well as anxiety and emotional regulation. Aniesa has one teenage son with autism, and one with sensory difficulties. She herself was diagnosed at a late age as having ADHD and has found that understanding her neurodivergence has led to a greater connection with children and their parents. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| When Your Child Gaslights You | 02 Mar 2023 | 00:08:42 | |
Content Warning: Those who have experienced trauma and gaslighting should listen with caution. For this episode, Aniesa returns once again to the subject of gaslighting. This time looking at how children can do it to their parents, either deliberately or unconsciously. She provides examples to help you to recognise the signs and explains how to tackle this issue effectively. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS ‘Kids can gaslight parents by manipulating their emotions’ ‘Some kids are very good at remembering events in a way that is very selective’ ‘You need to be very clear with your child that this behaviour is not acceptable’ ‘If you are finding this is something that is not getting better, you should seek professional help’ ‘It is very important to think about why this (gaslighting) is happening’ CONTACT METHOD
Aniesa completed her degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Stellenbosch, in South Africa. She has since been focusing on pediatrics and sensory processing and integration. She has worked across a range of pediatric fields and has extensive experience in autism, specific learning difficulties, as well as anxiety and emotional regulation. Aniesa has one teenage son with autism, and one with sensory difficulties. She herself was diagnosed at a late age as having ADHD and has found that understanding her neurodivergence has led to a greater connection with children and their parents. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Have You Been Gaslighting Your Children? | 23 Feb 2023 | 00:15:51 | |
Content Warning: Those who have experienced trauma and gaslighting should listen with caution. Aniesa hasn’t always recognised parental gaslighting but has discovered that it is something that is more common than many of us realise and can even come from a place of misguided care. In this episode, Aniesa explores the role of gaslighting in parenting, how it frequently occurs, how to recognise it and how to prevent using it as a parental tool. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS ‘We may do so to maintain control, maintain power and have a sense of power dynamic in our parent-child relationships” ‘When a parent engages in gaslighting it can have long-lasting effects on their child's mental health and wellbeing ‘Think about the language that you are using’ ‘How often do you blame your children for your own behaviour?’ ‘That can make the child feel like they are responsible for the parent's wellbeing which is incredibly stressful and overwhelming [for them]’ CONTACT METHOD
Aniesa completed her degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Stellenbosch, in South Africa. She has since been focusing on pediatrics and sensory processing and integration. She has worked across a range of pediatric fields and has extensive experience in autism, specific learning difficulties, as well as anxiety and emotional regulation.
Aniesa has one teenage son with autism, and one with sensory difficulties. She herself was diagnosed at a late age as having ADHD and has found that understanding her neurodivergence has led to a greater connection with children and their parents. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Talking to Kids About Difficult Topics | 16 Feb 2023 | 00:10:55 | |
There have been many difficult news stories over the past couple of weeks which has made Aniesa consider the best ways to talk to our children about these types of subjects. In this episode, Aniesa gives some strategies for helping adults talk to children appropriately and compassionately about difficult topics. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS ‘It’s important to remember that children are sensitive, they are curious, they are really intelligent human beings’ ‘It’s better to use clear and direct language the conveys the message in a sensitive manner’ ‘It’s really important that we encourage questions and discussions’ ‘We really need to validate out kids feelings’ CONTACT METHOD
Aniesa completed her degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Stellenbosch, in South Africa. She has since been focusing on pediatrics and sensory processing and integration. She has worked across a range of pediatric fields and has extensive experience in autism, specific learning difficulties, as well as anxiety and emotional regulation.
Aniesa has one teenage son with autism, and one with sensory difficulties. She herself was diagnosed at a late age as having ADHD and has found that understanding her neurodivergence has led to a greater connection with children and their parents. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Tips For Helping Your Sensory Reactive Child With Taking Medication | 09 Feb 2023 | 00:05:06 | |
In this episode, Aniesa gives a few short and simple tips for getting your child to take medication, this will be particularly helpful if you have a child who has difficulties with sensory activities. KEY TAKEAWAYS
CONTACT METHOD
Aniesa completed her degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Stellenbosch, in South Africa. She has since been focusing on pediatrics and sensory processing and integration. She has worked across a range of pediatric fields and has extensive experience in autism, specific learning difficulties, as well as anxiety and emotional regulation.
Aniesa has one teenage son with autism, and one with sensory difficulties. She herself was diagnosed at a late age as having ADHD and has found that understanding her neurodivergence has led to a greater connection with children and their parents. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Helping Neurodivergent Kids Self-Advocate | 02 Feb 2023 | 00:10:22 | |
Self-advocacy is the act of speaking up for oneself and expressing one's needs, but how can we teach our kids, especially those who are neurodiverse, to self-advocate? In this episode, Aniesa gives practical ways you can start to teach your child this essential skill in life to help empower and build confidence within themselves. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS “We can help our neurodiverse kids learn to self-advocate effectively and to assert their rights in a respectful and appropriate manner” “As they get older, we can teach more advanced advocacy skills such as how to communicate with people whom we might see as those with authority” “If a child doesn’t like being hugged, that’s fine, they can say no” “Encourage your child to use an I statement when learning to self-advocate”
CONTACT METHOD
Aniesa completed her degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Stellenbosch, in South Africa. She has since been focusing on pediatrics and sensory processing and integration. She has worked across a range of pediatric fields and has extensive experience in autism, specific learning difficulties, as well as anxiety and emotional regulation.
Aniesa has one teenage son with autism, and one with sensory difficulties. She herself was diagnosed at a late age as having ADHD and has found that understanding her neurodivergence has led to a greater connection with children and their parents. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| 3 Things I Am Grateful For | 09 Nov 2023 | 00:14:56 | |
Whilst Aniesa has been travelling in South America, including hiking the Inca trail and being in the Amazon jungle, she reflected on all the things she is grateful for. In this episode, she shares the top three things she is grateful for in life and talks about why connection is a pillar for regulation in all areas of life. KEY TAKEAWAYS Aniesa’s Top 3 Things to be Grateful for:
BEST MOMENTS “I didn’t realise just how much I depended and needed being able to just drink water straight from a tap” “The ability to just remove oneself and just go somewhere we can allow ourselves to feel grounded, to have the silence” “I realised just how important having a good interoceptive system is” “I absolutely realised in each place…how important connection is to me”
Aniesa completed her degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Stellenbosch, in South Africa. She has since been focusing on pediatrics and sensory processing and integration. She has worked across a range of pediatric fields and has extensive experience in autism, specific learning difficulties, as well as anxiety and emotional regulation. Aniesa has one teenage son with autism, and one with sensory difficulties. She herself was diagnosed at a late age as having ADHD and has found that understanding her neurodivergence has led to a greater connection with children and their parents. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Helicopter Parenting -vs- Free-Range Parenting | 26 Jan 2023 | 00:12:44 | |
In this episode, Aniesa discusses two parenting styles that have been up for big debate in the past few years: helicopter parenting and free-range parenting. Aniesa explores what these approaches to child raising are, the advantages and disadvantages to both, giving a balanced view of these parenting styles and also talks about why any parenting is never just about the child.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS
“His take on it was this type of parenting [helicopter parenting] is often driven by fear or anxiety and the desire to protect their child from harm”
“Helicopter parenting can lead to fear of failure as they have been constantly protected from failure in their childhood”
“Free range parents believe children should be able to make their own mistakes and learn from them”
“Free range parenting can be seen as neglectful”
“Parenting styles can evolve and adapt over time”
CONTACT METHOD
Aniesa completed her degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Stellenbosch, in South Africa. She has since been focusing on pediatrics and sensory processing and integration. She has worked across a range of pediatric fields and has extensive experience in autism, specific learning difficulties, as well as anxiety and emotional regulation.
Aniesa has one teenage son with autism, and one with sensory difficulties. She herself was diagnosed at a late age as having ADHD and has found that understanding her neurodivergence has led to a greater connection with children and their parents. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| The Benefits of Going Barefoot | 19 Jan 2023 | 00:10:02 | |
As Aniesa observes children at play on her trip to Johannesburg, she asks the question, “How often do your children play barefoot?” KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS “When children spend more of their time barefoot, they generally have much better balance and coordination.” “Children who spend more time barefoot are going to have a better connection to the earth because we know the skin on the soles of the feet is highly conductive.” CONTACT METHOD ABOUT THE HOST Aniesa completed her degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Stellenbosch, in South Africa. She has since been focusing on pediatrics and sensory processing and integration. She has worked across a range of pediatric fields and has extensive experience in autism, specific learning difficulties, as well as anxiety and emotional regulation. Aniesa has one teenage son with autism, and one with sensory difficulties. She herself was diagnosed at a late age as having ADHD and has found that understanding her neurodivergence has led to a greater connection with children and their parents. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| After School Clubs And Activities | 12 Jan 2023 | 00:15:22 | |
In this week’s episode, Aniesa explores after-school clubs and how pushing kids to partake in extracurricular activities can cause burnout, stress, and feelings of inadequacy for all involved. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS “While extracurricular activities can provide really valuable experiences and skills for children, forcing kids to participate can have negative consequences on their overall wellbeing and their general development.” “Competition is really healthy in moderation, but having the constant pressure to perform at a high level can often lead to feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem in kids, and that’s quite harmful to the younger kids who don’t have the emotional and cognitive skills to handle that pressure.” CONTACT METHOD ABOUT THE HOST Aniesa completed her degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Stellenbosch, in South Africa. She has since been focusing on pediatrics and sensory processing and integration. She has worked across a range of pediatric fields and has extensive experience in autism, specific learning difficulties, as well as anxiety and emotional regulation. Aniesa has one teenage son with autism, and one with sensory difficulties. She herself was diagnosed at a late age as having ADHD and has found that understanding her neurodivergence has led to a greater connection with children and their parents. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Goal Setting With Kids | 05 Jan 2023 | 00:10:30 | |
In today’s episode, Aniesa discusses how you can help children set realistic and achievable goals. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS “I always said ‘practice makes perfect’ until a little girl said to me, ‘no, practice makes progress’, and I’ve always remembered that.” “It’s never too late to teach our children about goal setting and the skills they need to succeed because there’s always going to be goals set for them.”
CONTACT METHOD
Aniesa completed her degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Stellenbosch, in South Africa. She has since been focusing on pediatrics and sensory processing and integration. She has worked across a range of pediatric fields and has extensive experience in autism, specific learning difficulties, as well as anxiety and emotional regulation.
Aniesa has one teenage son with autism, and one with sensory difficulties. She herself was diagnosed at a late age as having ADHD and has found that understanding her neurodivergence has led to a greater connection with children and their parents.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Tips For Surviving The Holiday Period | 22 Dec 2022 | 00:07:56 | |
It’s the last show of 2022! Save yourself from festive burnout with Aniesa’s tips to get you through the holiday season. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS “Happy end of 2022, and I will see you guys on the flip side!” CONTACT METHOD ABOUT THE HOST Aniesa completed her degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Stellenbosch, in South Africa. She has since been focusing on paediatrics and sensory processing and integration. She has worked across a range of paediatric fields and has extensive experience in autism, specific learning difficulties, as well as anxiety and emotional regulation. Aniesa has one teenage son with autism, and one with sensory difficulties. She herself was diagnosed at a late age as having ADHD and has found that understanding her neurodivergence has led to a greater connection with children and their parents. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| The Six Types of Rest | 15 Dec 2022 | 00:06:53 | |
Rest is more than simply taking a nap. In today’s episode, Aniesa discusses the six types of rest and how you can relax and recharge without having to close your eyes to sleep. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS “People I speak to say, “I’m always tired. I woke up tired. Sometimes I sleep really well, but I just don’t feel rested. I feel exhausted.” there are actually a number of different types of rest that will help prevent this feeling of exhaustion, burnout, and overwhelm.” CONTACT METHOD ABOUT THE HOST Aniesa completed her degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Stellenbosch, in South Africa. She has since been focusing on paediatrics and sensory processing and integration. She has worked across a range of paediatric fields and has extensive experience in autism, specific learning difficulties, as well as anxiety and emotional regulation. Aniesa has one teenage son with autism, and one with sensory difficulties. She herself was diagnosed at a late age as having ADHD and has found that understanding her neurodivergence has led to a greater connection with children and their parents. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| How to Combat Christmas Overwhelm | 08 Dec 2022 | 00:09:01 | |
In this week’s episode, Aniesa discusses ‘Christmas Overwhelm’ and how the festive season can affect our routine and mental health. The next few weeks can be exhausting for many, so take the time to set boundaries and expectations, and find ways to regulate and relax. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS “Do what matters to you; what brings you joy. It sounds cheesy, but do what feeds your soul. If that is lying on the sofa eating chocolates and drinking Baileys while watching Christmas films, do that. Do what absolutely makes you happy.” CONTACT METHOD ABOUT THE HOST Aniesa completed her degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Stellenbosch, in South Africa. She has since been focusing on pediatrics and sensory processing and integration. She has worked across a range of paediatric fields and has extensive experience in autism, specific learning difficulties, as well as anxiety and emotional regulation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| What Causes Burnout? | 01 Dec 2022 | 00:15:00 | |
Following on from last week’s discussion about masking, Aniesa describes the symptoms and causes of burnout, both in neurotypical and neurodivergent individuals and what we can do to understand and support those who are suffering. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS “[We must] make sure we prioritise our kid's mental health and our own mental health. For kids, it starts by asking them what the emotions are that they’re feeling - and thinking about that for yourself as well.” CONTACT METHOD ABOUT THE HOST Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Masking To Fit In | 24 Nov 2022 | 00:11:36 | |
This week, Aniesa discusses masking - what it means, how it’s used as a coping mechanism, and the effects it can have on neurodivergent adults and children. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS “Although masking may seem really helpful, masking your true self can be emotionally draining.” "Exhaustion. If we mask constantly, we are exhausted because we are using energy. The energy that should be used on other activities or other tasks. It’s that feeling of being really overloaded after a social situation, leading to you just wanting to withdraw, and be alone, and just not be in that situation.” “Sometimes people can be so efficient at masking that they don't get a neurodivergent diagnosis until much later in life. We’ve said it several times for women, we often get overlooked when it comes to diagnoses of autism or ADHD.” CONTACT METHOD
Aniesa completed her degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Stellenbosch, in South Africa. She has since been focusing on pediatrics and sensory processing and integration. She has worked across a range of pediatric fields and has extensive experience in autism, specific learning difficulties, as well as anxiety and emotional regulation.
Aniesa has one teenage son with autism, and one with sensory difficulties. She herself was diagnosed at a late age as having ADHD and has found that understanding her neurodivergence has led to a greater connection with children and their parents.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| What is Spoon Theory? | 17 Nov 2022 | 00:21:45 | |
In this week’s episode, Aniesa discusses Spoon Theory, first coined by Christine Miserandino, and how energy levels in neurodivergent people can be affected differently and what can be done to help manage them. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS CONTACT METHOD ABOUT THE HOST Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Living with Vestibular Disorder: Aniesa and Mel King Speak to Elmien | 26 Oct 2023 | 00:39:25 | |
Join Aniesa and Sensory Intergration Physiotherapist Mel King as they chat to Elmien about her vestibular disorder. Elmien talks about the journey to her diagnosis and her experience of living with debilitating migraines, vertigo, and balance issues for years. She provides a revealing look into the daily struggles of living with chronic vertigo and migraines, but also discusses the importance of pushing forward one step at a time. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS "It feels as if the walls are falling onto you. It’s literally you walk into a place and everything topples over on the front." "I have much more empathy for my children, like my children on the spectrum, ADHD children, children who are sensitive." "Independence has gone out the door. Yeah. Yeah. Wow." "Talking is my thing. And I can still do talking while I sit down, so that's okay." "If there's awareness, we can help each other."
Aniesa completed her degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Stellenbosch, in South Africa. She has since been focusing on pediatrics and sensory processing and integration. She has worked across a range of pediatric fields and has extensive experience in autism, specific learning difficulties, as well as anxiety and emotional regulation. Aniesa has one teenage son with autism, and one with sensory difficulties. She herself was diagnosed at a late age as having ADHD and has found that understanding her neurodivergence has led to a greater connection with children and their parents. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria in Kids With ADHD | 11 Nov 2022 | 00:13:17 | |
As an adult with ADHD, Aniesa struggles with Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD). In this week’s episode, she explains the symptoms and causes of RSD and how identifying it in young children will help them cope later. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS “As humans, we are social beings, we live in little groups, little packs, little tribes, and we generally are hard-wired to fit in, to belong. And we stick together in groups because that’s what makes us stronger. And, because of that, the thought of being rejected, of being outcast, is very scary.” “They can either cope with the trauma of the RSD one of two ways: they can try extra hard to please people and not get rejected, or completely start avoiding those anxiety-provoking situations.” CONTACT METHOD
Aniesa completed her degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Stellenbosch, in South Africa. She has since been focusing on paediatrics and sensory processing and integration. She has worked across a range of paediatric fields and has extensive experience in autism, specific learning difficulties, as well as anxiety and emotional regulation. Aniesa has one teenage son with autism, and one with sensory difficulties. She herself was diagnosed at a late age as having ADHD and has found that understanding her neurodivergence has led to a greater connection with children and their parents. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Saying No | 03 Nov 2022 | 00:05:12 | |
In this episode, Aniesa talks all about the power behind saying no. In modern life, it’s all too easy to say yes to things you either don’t want to do or don’t have time for, creating more stress and anxiety in your life. Listen in to hear how and why you should learn to start saying no. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS “By saying no, I’m going to take on less” “I can be kind, but I also need to look after myself” “If I feel uncomfortable for any reason I’m going to say no” “My mental health and well-being is more important” CONTACT METHOD
Aniesa completed her degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Stellenbosch, in South Africa. She has since been focusing on pediatrics and sensory processing and integration. She has worked across a range of pediatric fields and has extensive experience in autism, specific learning difficulties, as well as anxiety and emotional regulation.
Aniesa has one teenage son with autism, and one with sensory difficulties. She herself was diagnosed at a late age as having ADHD and has found that understanding her neurodivergence has led to a greater connection with children and their parents. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| A Lack Of Resources | 27 Oct 2022 | 00:08:36 | |
After conquering her nerves and attending an Ethics Committee question and answer session for funding for her Masters research project, Aniesa reflects on on the lack of resources in education and healthcare which results in a large number of children going without the provision that they need. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS “There is no funding to actually assess these kids so that we can see what exactly their education, health and care needs are.” “This lack of provision is happening everywhere. It’s happening in all the local authorities that we work in, it’s happening in state schools, it’s happening in private schools.” CONTACT METHOD Aniesa completed her degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Stellenbosch, in South Africa. She has since been focusing on pediatrics and sensory processing and integration. She has worked across a range of pediatric fields and has extensive experience in autism, specific learning difficulties, as well as anxiety and emotional regulation. Aniesa has one teenage son with autism, and one with sensory difficulties. She herself was diagnosed at a late age as having ADHD and has found that understanding her neurodivergence has led to a greater connection with children and their parents. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||
| Becoming an Empty Nester | 20 Oct 2022 | 00:05:37 | |
Aniesa is an empty nester! In this week’s episode, Aniesa reflects on the last few weeks now her youngest is at University. The highs, the lows, and the cheaper food bills. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS “I felt like I was leaving my heart on just a random street in Southampton when he walked away from us to go and do all his registration and Freshers things.” “I don’t think anything anyone could have told me would have prepared me for the silence.”
CONTACT METHOD
Aniesa completed her degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Stellenbosch, in South Africa. She has since been focusing on pediatrics and sensory processing and integration. She has worked across a range of pediatric fields and has extensive experience in autism, specific learning difficulties, as well as anxiety and emotional regulation.
Aniesa has one teenage son with autism, and one with sensory difficulties. She herself was diagnosed at a late age as having ADHD and has found that understanding her neurodivergence has led to a greater connection with children and their parents.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. | |||